Tuesday, December 18, 2001

'Electronic Whiteboards' Bring Computing's Flexibility to the Front of the Classroom By JEFFREY R. YOUNG Computerized chalkboards? Several companies have created what they call "electronic whiteboards" that bring computing power to one of the oldest and most ubiquitous teaching tools. And a growing number of colleges are trying them out. Electronic whiteboards typically offer display spaces about five feet wide that function like oversize touch-screen computer monitors. In many of the high-tech whiteboards that have hit the market in the past few years, every mark made on the board can be saved on a computer -- and then easily uploaded to a Web site or broadcast to students at a distance. The devices generally have a display from a PC projected onto them, and professors can use an implement -- a marker or a stylus, for instance -- to manipulate the display, which means they can tap the board to advance slides in PowerPoint presentations and then scribble notes over them as they go. At least a half-dozen companies now market electronic whiteboards to colleges. Among the most-talked-about models in academic circles are the Mimio, by Virtual Ink Corporation; the LiveBoard, by SimplyLiveworks Inc.; and the Smart board, by Smart Technologies Inc. The devices were originally designed for business meetings, but their use in academe seems to be growing. Virtual Ink says about 800 schools and colleges have purchased Mimios; SimplyLiveworks says it has sold LiveBoards to 60 or 70 colleges and universities; and Smart Technologies says its devices are in use at "tens of thousands of schools, colleges, and universities." One obstacle for colleges has been the hefty price tag of these devices. A typical LiveBoard, for instance, costs about $20,000. But electronic whiteboards have been dropping in price over the past few years, and manufacturers have developed scaled-down models that are more attractive to educators. Smart Technologies sells a basic unit for about $1,600, and a standard Mimio device costs a few hundred dollars. Both products, however, require a computer and a projector to operate, adding thousands of dollars to the overall cost. The LiveBoard includes a built-in computer and projector. Many professors who have tried electronic whiteboards say they like them -- especially the power to store information that once vanished into chalk dust. "You're capturing what you're writing on the board," says Miguel M. Menendez, associate dean for learning resources at Miami-Dade Community College's medical-center campus, which is considering buying the devices for its classrooms. The capture feature is a useful service for students, who can get exact copies of what was on the board after class, he says, and it can also help professors save a record of what went on in class so they can review their own teaching. "You know how it is when you're doing a lecture and sometimes something pops into your mind" that you write on the board, Mr. Menendez says. "You may not think to bring that up the next time you cover that same material" unless you can review the notes. Gregory D. Abowd, an associate professor of computing at Georgia Institute of Technology, has been experimenting with electronic whiteboards since 1995, as part of a research project called eClass that aims to design better high-tech classrooms. He says that his overall assessment of electronic whiteboards is "very positive," but that they also have disadvantages. One limitation is size, he says. "Most of the electronic-whiteboard technology was designed for small gatherings," says Mr. Abowd, noting that electronic whiteboards are often only a few feet long. "Sixty-two inches [across] may seem like a lot, but not in a room of 40 to 60 students," he says. "We want something like a much larger interactive surface," he adds, noting that many classrooms feature a long wall of traditional chalkboards. And the computers driving electronic whiteboards will probably need to be upgraded every few years, says Mr. Abowd. "The technology isn't quite long-lived enough," Mr. Abowd says. "If you buy a [traditional] chalkboard, you expect it to last 15 to 20 years." Bob Hails, director of distance education at the University of Arkansas's Sam M. Walton College of Business, says that his college has installed electronic whiteboards in 43 classrooms, and that they are popular among professors and students. The devices are particularly handy for distance-education courses, he adds. "It's a regular part of our TV classroom," he says, noting that the devices are used most often in courses in economics and other subjects in which professors need to write out equations. "It's another tool in the toolbox that faculty can use for the right application." Betty A. Kleen, a professor of information systems at Nicholls State University, in Louisiana, says she is intrigued by the idea of electronic whiteboards and has been trying to decide whether they are worth the investment. "We still have not purchased one here," she says. "With limited technology funds, you put your money where you think you can get the most advantage for the most people." In fact, electronic whiteboards have gone unused at some colleges that have bought them. That's what Mary Ann Bell found in a survey she did in January about the use of electronic whiteboards by colleges. "If you order one and you don't know what you want to do with it, it ends up in the closet," says Ms. Bell, who is an assistant professor of library science at Sam Houston State University, in Texas. "Before you even try to get one, you should have a user in mind ... who has reasons why they want to use it." Steven C. Myers, associate professor of economics at the University of Akron, says that he likes electronic whiteboards, but that his college has also looked for cheaper alternatives. In some of his courses, for instance, he uses a graphics tablet connected to his laptop computer that lets him write on computer presentations. That device cost only about $100. Easy-to-print version E-mail this article

Association announces guidelines on conflicts of interest in research involving people Brown U. appeals labor ruling that allowed TA's to vote on joining union Commencement speaker in Sacramento cuts her speech short after heckling Mount Senario College drops intercollegiate athletics Sylvan Learning Systems plans university in India Number of black graduates in South Africa doubled in past decade, report says Fewer South Korean high-school students apply to top universities Phi Beta Kappa presents awards to 3 authors "Electronic whiteboards" bring computing's flexibility to the front of the classroom California State U. investigates a dean's ties to "Degree.com" institution